This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Basketball series.
Sunday's slate has just four games, which makes for some interesting strategical decisions. One strategy I like to use is to avoid at least two offenses in such a limited schedule. The three teams we're going to avoid Sunday are the Magic, Pacers and Lakers, as the Magic have a bad offense and strange rotations, the Pacers have a tough matchup against an elite Clippers defense and the struggling Lakers play an equally tough defense in Memphis. This gets rid of about 40 percent of the field and makes some tough decisions much easier.
GUARDS
Russell Westbrook, OKC vs. NOP ($58): In a limited slate like this, it's impossible to avoid a player like Westbrook. He is just so far above and beyond every player right now that he's impossible to avoid on such a short slate. Not only is he averaging a triple-double for the season, he's averaging over 60 fantasy points per game. That's absurd production and he's a must-use no matter the price. The matchup is spectacular as well, with New Orleans ranking as one of the worst defenses in the league.
Ish Smith, DET vs. ORL ($18): Smith has been spectacular recently and we may as well use him with his valuable inevitably tanking. With Reggie Jackson due back within days, Smith's time as the starting point guard is coming to an end. He's been great filling in, as he is averaging nearly 30 fantasy points per game, and he's especially hot lately, scoring 81 fantasy points in his last two games. This matchup isn't bad either, with Orlando's point guard position in serious flux. The price is the best part of this play, though, as he's a near guarantee to exceed value at just $18.
Guard to Avoid
Elfrid Payton, ORL at DET ($21): Payton has recently been relegated to the bench and it's killing his value. In fact, Payton has just 27 fantasy points across his last two games and it's clear he's slow to adjusting to his new bench role. What concerns me even more is the matchup, with Detroit ranking as the best home defense in the NBA.
FORWARD
Anthony Davis, NOP at OKC ($56): Much like Westbrook, Davis is a far superior option on a limited slate. He's been arguably the best player in fantasy recently, averaging over 54 fantasy points per game and regularly cracking 60-plus. Westbrook is the only player on this slate with as much upside, so it's imperative to get at least one of these guys into your lineup. The matchup is great as well, as he'll go up against rookie Domantas Sabonis.
Kyle O'Quinn, NYK vs. SAC ($10): O'Quinn has quietly been really good over recent weeks and he may be taking over center duties for the struggling Joakim Noah. He actually got the start over Noah on Friday and had one of the best games of his career, scoring 40.6 fantasy points in 30 minutes. While Noah is expected to return Sunday, that's a vast improvement on Noah's numbers and they'll surely want to get O'Quinn more minutes. The price is what's most intriguing =, as he's a minimum priced player with a very high upside. If Noah doesn't play, O'Quinn is a must use.
Forward to Avoid
Thaddeus Young, IND at LAC ($23): Young has been playing below average all season long and he's likely to struggle again versus an elite Clippers defense. He is averaging just 16 fantasy points per game across his last three and his role is disappearing in the offense. That's even more discouraging considering he's struggling this bad without Paul George in the lineup. If his recent struggles aren't enough incentive to fade him, the matchup should be, as the Clippers rank top-10 in nearly every defensive category and they rank fourth in fantasy points allowed to power forwards.
CENTER
Andre Drummond, DET vs. ORL ($32): Drummond hasn't been quite as good as he was last season, but there are reasons to like him in this matchup, including the fact that the Magic rank 29th in field-goal percentage, 28th in three-point percentage and 28th in free-throw percentage. That means a lot of rebounds for Drummond and they're even more likely to struggle considering his defensive prowess. Drummond is the top defender in the NBA based on player efficiency ratings, and he should be able to dominate the Magic's terrible offense. A 20-rebound game seems like a strong possibility and that doesn't even consider his scoring potential and defensive capabilities.
Bismack Biyombo, ORL at DET ($12): Biyombo is starting over Nikola Vucevic and he's exceeding value in his new role. In fact, Biyombo is averaging over 32 minutes per game since taking over the starting job. It's not like he's putting up empty minutes either, as he's scored at least 18 fantasy points in all four games. While his upside is limited, Biyombo is one of the bets of the day to exceed value on his price.
Center to Avoid
Nikola Vucevic, ORL at DET ($24): Vucevic is in the same situation as Payton, as he has shifted to a reserve role. While it hasn't hurt his value as much as Payton, it has certainly limited is upside. The fantasy production is still there, but the minutes have taken a major hit. In fact, Vucevic is averaging fewer than 28 minutes per game over his last 12. That concerns me more than the production, as he simply can't put up elite center numbers in those minutes. The matchup is tough too, with Drummond ranking as the best defender in the NBA right now.
